Hostel or Hostile?

I realized that I’ve walked six days in a row, for a total of 126 kilometers! Yesterday, I walked 4 kilometers over my ideal of 20 a day, and my ankle started to hurt. I limped into San Juan de Ortega, an isolated Monastery. We were late getting there, and the “deluxe” accommodations were full. So we stayed in the very rustic Alburgue in the Monastery for 5E. I had wine and a late dinner with my English friends at the only bar in the hamlet and got back to the bunk room just in time for 10:00 lights out. At 2:30 I woke up to a symphony of snoring from all corners of the room. It was a measure of my relaxation these days that I found it funny (for an hour) and then it subsided, and I slept a bit. Then it revved up again between 4:00 and 6:00. The 8 French pilgrims (all my age) sharing the room with Monika and me, got up at 6:30 and the day began. I’m very happy to have taxied into Burgos after 5 kilometers, and to be staying at a hotel.

Beth, it is a relief to all pilgrim-blog-followers to know that Beth may be more like us weak-ankled, zero kilometer mortals than the Superwoman we see striding the Camino. But, my fellow mortals, I would still bet she is only one not snoring in the auberge. Buen Camino, Beth, I hope the wheels recover all right and the journey and the blogging keep going.

Haha! According to Hale, I’m quite mortal in the snoring dept. I don’t know what you experienced when you were traveling back in the day, but the hostels are totally coed! French men walking around in the room their underwear yesterday, “Buenos Dias!” It’s a trip! The last few days I found my stride, and blisters subsided. I think you get stronger, too. BYW, I am weak-ankled, wearing boots to keep me upright.